TV Ratings: FOX Noses Out CBS Thursday

A Thursday edition of "American Idol" shook up the normal ratings order for the night, propelling FOX to a win over CBS.

FOX averaged an 8.8 rating/14 share for the night, narrowly beating CBS' 8.7/14 for the lead (the gap in total viewers was a little wider: 15.27 million for FOX vs. 13.95 million for CBS). ABC was a distant third at 4.2/7, beating out NBC's 3.9/6. The CW earned a 1.3/2.

FOX also led among adults 18-49 with a 5.7 rating. CBS finished second in the demographic with a 3.7. NBC took third at 2.5, followed by ABC, 1.9, and The CW, 0.7.

The "American Idol" results show scored an 11.9/19 for FOX at 8 p.m., easily beating the 7.1/11 for "Survivor: Tocantins" on CBS. ABC's "Ugly Betty," 4.6/7, came in third. The special "Secrets of the Furious Five" and "Kath & Kim" put NBC in fourth. The CW got a 1.4/2 from a "Smallville" repeat.

"CSI," 11.2/18, grabbed the lead for CBS at 9. "Hell's Kitchen" drew a 5.6/9 for FOX. A "Grey's Anatomy" rerun, 4.7/7, kept ABC in third, ahead of an "Office" repeat, 3.3/5, and a new "30 Rock," 3.9/6, on NBC. The CW's "Supernatural" dipped ever so slightly from its lead-in.

CBS held the lead at 10 thanks to "Eleventh Hour," 7.7/13. "ER" drew a 5.8/10 for NBC, up a bit from recent weeks, while a "Private Practice" repeat on ABC drew a 3.4/6.

Ratings information is taken from fast national data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change.